Boston nonprofit leader arrested on drug charges, US Attorney’s office says

He was indicted on Sept. 18 by a federal grand jury on charges of distributing more than 28 grams or more of cocaine, the US Attorney’s office said.

According to the indictment, on Sept. 10, Tooley sold about 100 grams of crack cocaine from his car in Fields Corner, a a short distance from his nonprofit in Dorchester, while a young child, about six or seven, was in the back seat.

He was in a hurry because he was late to drop off a child — “I have to bring her to class,” he told the buyer, according to court records.

On Tuesday, Tooley arrived to make a sale near Roxbury District Court to a cooperating witness, and police arrested him. Officers seized roughly 160 grams of crack cocaine, the statement said.

Tooley has a long history of drug convictions, according to US Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.

In 2010, he was convicted for a hand-to-hand sale of crack cocaine to an undercover officer, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison and five years of supervised release, according to Foley’s office. However, he violated the release terms at least five times, ultimately serving an additional 22 months.

He allegedly also has a history of targeting women — many struggling with substance abuse — whom he controlled through violence and access to drugs to perform commercial sex and sell drugs, the statement said. He “created a climate of fear” by claiming connections to law enforcement and other influential figures through his nonprofit and coordinated drug transactions using the nonprofit’s phone, the statement said.

Because of his prior conviction, Tooley faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and a fine of $8 million, if convicted of the new charges.

Adapt & Evolve LLC did not respond to the Globe’s request for comment Wednesday evening.

Rita Chandler can be reached at rita.chandler@globe.com.